Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

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Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
Code S4
Rules Required 1st Edition AD&D
Character Levels 6 - 10
Campaign Setting Generic or Greyhawk
Authors Gary Gygax
First Published 1982 (1976)
Linked Modules
S1 S2 S3 S4 / WG4

The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was written by Gary Gygax and published by TSR, Inc. in 1982 for the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) rules. The 64-page adventure bears the code "S4" and is set in the World of Greyhawk. Module WG4 - The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun is a loosely connected sequel to S4.[1]

The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth is a revised and expanded version of The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth (sic), a tournament adventure that Gygax wrote for WinterCon V, a gaming convention sponsored by the Metro Detroit Gamers (MDG) in 1976.[2] MDG also made a version of the tournament (an 8-sheet packet in a plastic bag) available for purchase at the convention, making Tsojconth the second commercially-available adventure module for Dungeons & Dragons. (The first commercial module, Wee Warriors's Palace of the Vampire Queen, preceded Tsojconth by mere months.) [1]

The original Lost Caverns adventure was a "dungeon crawl" taking place entirely in an underground environment, written for the 1974 version of the Dungeons & Dragons rules with schematics partly derived from Rob Kuntz's El Raja Key of 1972/73. [2]

In 1980, Gygax began rewriting the adventure for first edition AD&D, expanding it to include outdoor encounters. The redevelopment of The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth was one of the major delays in the completion of The Temple of Elemental Evil (Anon 1981, Gygax 1981).

Both versions of the module are noteworthy for introducing several new monsters to the published Dungeons & Dragons canon. The monsters introduced in the original un-published version were updated for AD&D rules and included in the first edition Monster Manual. Monsters developed and introduced specifically for the S4 published version (including the demon princes Baphomet, Fraz-Urb'luu, Graz'zt, and Kostchtchie) later reappeared in the original Monster Manual II.

In 1987, The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth was revised yet again and included in TSR's "supermodule" Realms of Horror (ISBN 0-88038-486-7).

The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth was ranked the 22nd greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time by Dungeon magazine in 2004, on the 30th anniversary of the Dungeons & Dragons game.[3]

[edit] Synopsis

The players must travel into the Yatil Mountains south of the Greyhawk realm of Perrenland to investigate rumors of a lost treasure that scores of adventurers have perished attempting to find. The treasure is a remnant of the wealth amassed by the archmage Iggwilv, former ruler of Perrenland, prior to her presumed death at the hands of the demon Graz'zt.

[edit] References

The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth (sic), Winter Con V version
The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth (sic), Winter Con V version
  1. ^ Bambra, Jim (Aug 1983). "Open Box" (review). White Dwarf (Issue 44): 14. Games Workshop. 
  2. ^ Lawrence Schick. Heroic Worlds (Prometheus Books, 1991).
  3. ^ Mona, Erik; James Jacobs (2004). "The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time". Dungeon 116. 
  • Anonymous. "RPGA Interview with... E. Gary Gygax." RPGA News (TSR, Autumn 1981).
  • Gygax, Gary. The Lost Caverns of Tsojconth, Metro Detroit Gamers, Detroit, MI, 1976.
  • Gygax, Gary. The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, TSR, Inc., 1982, ISBN 0-935696-72-5).
  • Gygax, Gary. "More 'Meat' for Greyhawk." Dragon, (TSR, Nov 1981).
  • Mona, Erik, James Jacobs, and the "Dungeon Design Panel". "The 30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time." Dungeon #116 (Paizo Publishing, November 2004).

[edit] External links